What Waits Below (1984): cast, story & where to watch
1984 · Film · ★ 3.8
Released in 1984, What Waits Below is an adventure, horror and science fiction film directed by Don Sharp, running about 88 minutes. “Underground, no-one can hear you die!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. The US military is running a test for a special type of radio transmitter, to be used to communicate with submarines, in a deep system of underground caves in Central America. When the signal from one of the transmitters suddenly disappears, a team of soldiers led by Major Elbert Stevens and cave specialists led by Rupert 'Wolf' Wolfsen including scientist Leslie Peterson are sent in to find out what happened. Exploring deep underground, they stumble upon a tribe of albino cave-dwellers who have apparently been isolated from the rest of the world for thousands of years. The cave-dwellers are hurt by radio frequencies and are able to see in infra-red frequencies, tracking the explorers by their body heat.
Who’s in it. What Waits Below stars Robert Powell as Rupert 'Wolf' Wolfsen, Timothy Bottoms as Major Elbert Stevens, Lisa Blount as Leslie Peterson and Anne Heywood as Frieda Shelley, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 3.8/10, What Waits Below has proved divisive with audiences.
Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch What Waits Below page.
If you liked it. Fans of What Waits Below tend to enjoy The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception, Interstellar and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch What Waits Below (1984)?
- Streaming, rental and purchase options for What Waits Below change frequently. Check our where-to-watch page for the latest availability in your country.
- Is What Waits Below worth watching?
- What Waits Below holds an audience score of 3.8 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy adventure, horror and science fiction. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in What Waits Below?
- What Waits Below stars Robert Powell, Timothy Bottoms, Lisa Blount, Anne Heywood and Richard Johnson.
- When was What Waits Below released?
- What Waits Below was released in 1984, with a runtime of about 88 minutes.